A recent study underscores the impact of reducing sodium intake on blood pressure, demonstrating that even individuals on hypertension medication can experience a significant decrease. Participants witnessed a notable drop in systolic blood pressure by simply reducing salt consumption by approximately one teaspoon per day. This highlights the pivotal role of dietary habits in effectively managing blood pressure levels.
Nearly everyone can lower their blood pressure, even people currently on blood pressure-reducing drugs, by lowering their sodium intake. This is according to a new research study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Northwestern Medicine, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“In the study, middle-aged to elderly participants reduced their salt intake by about one teaspoon a day compared with their usual diet. The result was a decline in systolic blood pressure by about 6 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), which is comparable to the effect produced by a commonly utilized first-line medication for high blood pressure,” said Deepak Gupta, M.D., MSCI, associate professor of Medicine at VUMC and co-principal investigator. A recent study underscores
“We found that 70-75% of all people, regardless of whether they are already on blood pressure medications or not, are likely to see a reduction in their blood pressure if they lower the sodium in their diet,” said co-principal investigator Norrina Allen, Ph.D., MPH, professor of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.